


Sensations

by animeangelriku



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Day At The Beach, Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon, Puzzleshipping, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-06-03
Packaged: 2018-11-08 08:15:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11077605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/animeangelriku/pseuds/animeangelriku
Summary: After spending a day at the beach, Atem and Yugi sit down to watch the sunset and Atem reminisces about his old life as pharaoh.





	Sensations

**Author's Note:**

> The DSOD movie pulled my 12-year-old self out of the tomb, smacked her around a little, and made me remember just how much Yu-Gi-Oh! trash I still am. Or, how much Puzzleshipping trash I still am after ten years. This was written for a prompt I got about Atem and Yugi going to the beach!
> 
> (You can also read this on my [Tumblr!](http://animeangelriku.tumblr.com/post/161266070947/if-you-want-prompts-the-how-about-atem-and-yugi))

There are sensations Atem remembers from his short life as pharaoh–sensations that only come back to him once he experiments them again in this modern era with his own flesh and bones; like hot sand under his palms and feet and against his knees. Like the warmth of the sun shining bright in clear skies above him, bearable only thanks to the fresh breeze blowing by (and this strange lotion Yugi had called “sunscreen”).

Then there are sensations he has only vague memories of, like the tranquility of knowing there is no danger threatening the world, no danger from which he must protect those he loves. Even as a child, being in the presence of his father’s priests had him on edge, made him uneasy. It made him feel like he should be prepared for… _something_. That was why he loved to sneak out to play with Mana and, occasionally (when he wasn’t being _too_ serious about his role as the prince’s guardian, that is), Mahad.

It’s… somewhat of a new sensation. But it’s one he likes.

He’s been leaning back on his hands for some time now, and the fabric of his towel is starting to sting against his palms. Atem sits up and scoots closer to Yugi, who has been sitting next to him since they finished building their sand castle, and leans against his shoulder, smiling when Yugi kisses his temple. 

“Did you have a good time?”

Atem takes Yugi’s hand in his and runs his thumb across his knuckles.

It was Yugi’s idea to come to the beach today. It was his idea to splash Atem as soon as they both stepped into the water, starting a battle that ended in giddy laughter and salt-stained kisses. It was his idea to build a sand castle together, which didn’t turn out _terrible_ , considering it was their first one ever.

And it was his idea to watch the sun set in the horizon before they have to go back home.

Atem sighs, content.

“It was wonderful,” he says, and the words make his soul feel lighter.

Yugi kisses the top of his head, murmuring against his skin, “I’m glad.”

Atem looks up at him–at this amazing, incredible, wonderful boy who has done so much for him, who has given him so much, who loves him so much–and he’s overwhelmed by how unbelievably happy he is, how unabashedly in love he is with Yugi. 

Almost as if he’s read his mind (and there are times, really, when Atem wonders if he still can), Yugi turns his head towards him and smiles, the gesture widening until it becomes a grin so contagious that Atem immediately mirrors it. As beautiful as the sunset might be, it cannot compare to how absolutely breathtaking Yugi looks right now. 

“Thank you for today,” Atem says once they’ve shaken the sand out of their towels and packed the toy buckets and pails they’d brought.

“You’re welcome,” Yugi replies.

“Perhaps we should do it again soon? We could invite everyone else next time.”

Yugi’s eyes sparkle and he grins at the suggestion. His voice becomes more animated as he speaks, which Atem finds adorable. “Yes, that’d be great! We could build a giant sand castle all together! Or have a competition! _Or a water war!_ ”

“One where you _don’t_ cheat,” Atem teases him, snorting when Yugi puts a hand to his own chest and pretends to be offended.

“I did _not_ cheat!” he affirms, even though Atem clearly recalls Yugi tickling him to distract him at one point during their little fight in the water.

“Sure you didn’t,” he says, kissing Yugi’s cheek before Yugi can add anything else.

They’re almost out of the beach and on the street’s sidewalk again when Atem stops to look back at the sun going down. The light of the day is almost gone entirely, but he can still see remnants of his and Yugi’s evening together as though they are distant shadows.

There are sensations Atem remembers from his short life as pharaoh that only come back to him once he experiments them again with his own flesh and bones. Then there are sensations he has only vague memories of.

And then there are sensations he doesn’t remember ever having experienced before, like finding joy in the simplest, smallest things in life that one usually takes for granted: carrying a rolled-up towel under his arm as he holds a toy bucket and pail and building a terrible sand castle in the middle of a hot, summer day and being tickled and splashed while water laps at his waist and sitting next to the boy he loves as they watch the sunset.

He vows to himself that he’ll never take any of this for granted. 

“Atem?”

He turns to find Yugi smiling at him, holding out his hand for Atem to take.

“Ready to go?”

He doesn’t know why the gods agreed to give him a second chance. He doesn’t know why they allowed him to return to the world, to live the life he was meant to live. But he thanks them all the same for letting him have these moments.

For letting him have Yugi.

And he thanks them every single day for letting him be the one Yugi loves.

“Yeah,” he says. “I’m ready.”

Atem takes Yugi’s hand, and with their fingers interlaced between them, they start the way back home.


End file.
